Deer Inventory

[snapbang]

Season is over and I did a little scouting the other day. I came across these two rubs. (within shooting distance from my tower on the opposite side of the tree) I got home and told my wife I may have shot the wrong buck. The one I shot was very nice and maybe he made these but I wonder. I try to stay out of the woods before season or maybe I would have seen these earlier. Also I think there are less hunters this year. Last year I know there were 3 guys on the 80 next door but nobody this year. Less hunters every year. Those 3 guys probably would have taken 4 or 5 of the bucks named below out of inventory.



My son gave me a trail cam for Christmas. I sat in the chair to read directions and set it up. Sunday I put the trail cam out with 50 Lb of corn to see if I could determine if there were any surviving bucks after season. 48 hours and 4600 pictures later, yep 4600, I sat at the computer and was enlightened. I thought there would be a few bucks show up. In that 48 hours I find 3 spikes, 4 four points, 3 six points, 1 eight point (pictured), and a 10 point (pictured). I have a lot to look forward to next year. I think the bruiser 10 point may have made the rubs. It seems his horn configuration would make it difficult to rub. There may be another bigger deer out there. Im going to set up my camera for another photo session. See if new horns show up.



Never had a trail cam before but think Im going to like it.

 

[flounder]

Fun!

 

[toytruck]

I bought two game cameras this past year also. Never had one either, so I put one out in my backyard to see if anything showed up. I had a deer and racoons, groundhog, possum, skunk (knew they were around) and neighbors cats. Amazing!!
I put one out in the woods I hunt and couldn't believe the deer I had, even a wild turkey!
Those cameras are a lot of fun!!
I'm gonna keep one up for security purposes here also!

 

[flounder]

One thing I learned from the camera is just how nocturnal the deer are.

 

[MrTom]

That's pretty cool. I hang a camera at the cabin on each trip just to see what we miss at night, and it can be a trip to go thru the card when we get home.
Flounder's assessment of the deer is spot on.

By the way, there's nothing wrong with that buck in the truck!

 

[jd24.5.48]

That buck in the truck could have definitely made that rub! Nice buck!

 

[CatamountRob]

I enjoy fooling with cameras almost as much as hunting. I usually start putting them out in August when I’m out looking for mushrooms and by this time of year I’ve picked them all up. I bought some cellular cameras this fall and really liked them so I added some more after the season. Getting photo notifications when I’m at work is the best. I’ve got 20 or so non-cell cameras but they’re cheap ones that I’ve picked up over the years. I average about one stolen a year and a couple will quit working.

 

[snapbang]

By the way, there's nothing wrong with that buck in the truck!

Very happy with him.

FYI. Last year I put out the little drip bottles with Tinks and I saw more bucks. This year about 2 weeks before season I just used a plastic pop bottle and dripped a few drops in good locations around the few acres I can reach with my rifle. I know I have 5 acres of good bedding with no hunters right at the property edge. There were good scrapes when I started putting out the Tinks and in the weeks before season started I had 9 active scrapes going. They were tearing the place up.

My recipe is 1/3 Tinks 69, 1/3 clear ammonia, and 1/3 my own urine. A few drops on each scrape site about 2 times a week keeps them active. I think next year Ill step it up a little. Make the place small like there is a prostitute convention in town.

 

[Okie Hog]

Game camera photos at our lease and at my property show several good bucks that survived. A couple survivors score >150-165 B&C points.

 

[deermanok]

Some nice bucks there and a good rub.

 

[356]

Trail cameras are fun, and I too enjoy knowing what made it through the season.

 

[snapbang]

Anyone give me an estimate of the score on the 10 point????

 

[Brdad1125]

Anyone give me an estimate of the score on the 10 point????

thinking 130. They don't look real heavy. He's still a nice 10.

 

[Ninering62]

That buck in the truck could have definitely made that rub! Nice buck!

If only Dr Seuss were a Redneck, We'd never have had the Cat in the Hat. It would have been the Buck in the Truck.

 

[snapbang]

I did get salt/minerals out. I put out two types and just set up a camera to see if there is a preference.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I’m a trail cam nut.

I should probably get cellular ones but I’m too cheap.

 

[Smokeful]

I have been using trail cams for years. I get a kick out of all the things not deer that I get pictures of.



I still have mine out as I am still feeding deer. And birds! And this guy^^^^^^^....

 

[retrieverman]

I run 4 cell cams and 5 non cell cams year around, and I’m embarrassed to admit I get about as much enjoyment out of them as I do actually hunting.

 

[.45er]

I put out one trail cam last week with a salt block. I'll visit it in a couple of weeks to check for activity.

 

[Ninering62]

I run 4 cell cams and 5 non cell cams year around, and I’m embarrassed to admit I get about as much enjoyment out of them as I do actually hunting.

Duuude, that really cool. I love spending time in the woods just watching the animals doing their thing, unaware I'm there & have all kinds of animals even right under me, bedding down around me, mating in front of me, all kiinds of stuff, but I've never gotten into the trail cam thing. I really should get with the times & take advantage of that tech & just enjoy seeing what I catch on them, I'd really enjoy doing that. & I'd have a much better ideer of what critters I want in the freezer is around & when.